Athens to Saranda: How I Travel Between Greece and Albania 2026
When I travel overseas from Saranda, I almost always fly out of Athens because they have incredibly cheap flights to Asia and elsewhere in Europe.
There’s not a lot of practical information about travelling from Athens to Saranda or travelling from Saranda to Athens.
So I decided to put this handy guide together to make it a bit clearer.
It’s an easy trip once you know when and where the bus comes and goes from!
Whether you want to take the bus from Athens to Albania, or do the opposite and travel from Albania to Greece by bus, it is simple.
Just keep reading!
Quick Answer: Athens to Saranda
⭐⭐⭐ How do you get there? The direct bus. It takes around 9 to 11 hours and a ticket is €35.
⭐⭐ Where should you stay in Saranda? Vale Hotel, with dreamy sea views right in the centre. Check prices & availability →
⭐ What should you book once you arrive? This boat tour to Kakome and the caves, to see the beaches you can only reach by sea. Check availability →
Athens to Saranda Bus
Getting your ticket in Athens
First things first, when learning how to take a bus in Athens, it’s advised that you get the ticket before your trip, either earlier that day or the day before.
I have gotten a ticket as late as the late afternoon but if you’re travelling in summer, the bus might become busy, so get your ticket asap.
You don’t want to be trying to work out how to get to Saranda if the bus is already full!
You will need to go to the office called ‘Maksa Travel’ which is near the Metaxourghio Metro station (Μεταξουργείο in Greek).
Stop guessing your Albania route. Get 420+ personally recommended places, hidden gems and ready-made itineraries from someone who lived in Albania for 8+ years.
GET MY ALBANIA MAP + ITINERARIES →From Maksa Travel Sarande tickets can be purchased in advance so you don’t have to worry in peak season.
This is also where your Athens to Albania bus will leave from. The ticket price is €35.
The bus leaves Athens 2x a day, one in the morning (8 am) and one at night (8.30pm).
When you buy your ticket for the bus from Greece to Albania make sure you double-check the time as sometimes they can change!
There are other agencies where you can get your ticket from but I am just recommending the one I always get mine from as I don’t know the reliability of the other companies.
Saranda to Athens Bus
Getting your ticket in Saranda
Getting your ticket from Saranda, Albania to Athens, Greece is easy, you just need to go to the ticket office ‘Butrinti Travel’, it’s right next to Dolphin Hostel.
This is also where your bus to Greece from Saranda will depart from, so it’s worth choosing one of the central hotels in Saranda for that early start (or heading over from Ksamil the night before).
There is a bright red football cafe opposite!
As always, make sure to get on the correct bus – you don’t want to accidentally find yourself on the Saranda to Gjirokaster bus, or being taken in the wrong direction in Greece from Saranda to Thessaloniki!
The bus leaves once a day, in the morning at 6.00 am.
Make sure you double-check the times for your bus to Athens as sometimes they can change.
I urge you to get there at 5.30 as sometimes the bus can leave a little early!
Ticket price is €35 or you can pay in Lek.
What’s The Bus Ride Like?
While travelling from Athens to Albania or from Saranda to Greece the ride can take anywhere from 9 hours to 11 hours.
It really depends on the driver and how long the border takes.
If traffic is really bad, it might even take longer!
After living in Albania for 8+ years, I’ve saved the beaches, restaurants, viewpoints, villages and hidden gems I genuinely recommend — all in one easy-to-use map.
SEE MY 420+ ALBANIA PICKS →I have been stuck on the border in a big queue for 2 hours once.
The bus ride is nothing special but it’s not that bad either, and a boat tour in Saranda or a day at one of the best beaches in Saranda once you arrive more than makes up for it.
They stop every couple of hours for a toilet break/ food break.
Usually, at the border, you will have to take your hand luggage with you, put it on a table and they will inspect it.
I have also been on a trip where I didn’t even leave the bus!
It’s the Balkans so you never know!
The bus is usually in good condition.
I have had air-conditioning and a comfortable seat.
And of course, the drivers are all friendly and knowledgable and generally know how to reach Athens by road (or Saranda) without a map.
There’s no wifi but you will find on a lot of Balkan buses that there will never be, even if they promote it.
Where I’d Stay in Saranda
(⭐⭐⭐ = my top pick)
⭐⭐⭐ Vale Hotel: Pick this one if you want a little luxury. Dreamy sea views right in the centre of town, and guests rate it 9.7 out of 10. Check prices & availability →
⭐⭐ Austin Boutique Hotel: Pick this one for value. It’s in the local heart of Saranda, the neighbourhood I live in, so you get a real feel for everyday life here. Check prices & availability →
⭐ Hostel Hasta La Vista: Pick this one if you’re on a budget. It’s my go-to recommendation for backpackers and solo travellers. Check prices & availability →
Other Ways to Travel Between Athens and Saranda
Unfortunately, the only way to travel from Athens to Sarande and vice versa is by bus.
There is no train from Athens to Albania, and you can’t get any flights from Saranda.
In fact, the nearest airport to Saranda is in Corfu!
The only other way would be to rent a car and drive yourself, which also makes it easy to stop at places like the Blue Eye once you’re in Albania.
However, you’ll need to ensure you are insured to drive in both countries, though having a car does make day trips from Saranda much easier, whether you’re based in Saranda or Ksamil.
Beach trip? Mountains? Food? Hidden gems? Use my 420+ location map and ready-made itineraries to pick what interests you and create an Albania trip that actually suits you.
BUILD MY ALBANIA TRIP →3 Saranda Experiences I’d Book Right Away
🚤 Kakome, Caves & Beaches Boat Tour: Pick this one if you want to see the hidden beaches you can only reach by boat, with snorkelling stops. Rated 4.9 from almost 950 reviews. Check availability →
💙 Blue Eye, Gjirokastër & Lekursi Castle Day Tour: Pick this one if you want to tick off the big sights in one easy day. Rated 4.9 from over 1,900 reviews. Check availability →
🏍️ Quad Bike Adventure to the Blue Eye: Pick this one if you want something a little different, with off-road trails and a river crossing. Rated 4.9. Check availability →
My Number One Tip: Hire a Car for Full Flexibility
If you’re staying a few nights, Saranda is much easier with your own wheels. After a long bus ride, it’s nice to explore the Blue Eye, Butrint and the quieter beaches at your own pace.
Check here for the best car rental companies and prices for your Saranda trip →
I hope that this post made your trip from Athens to Saranda/Saranda to Athens a little clearer on where to get tickets etc.
I have been getting a lot of questions about this exact trip!
If you have any further questions, then make sure you comment below so I can answer them for you.
Woow this is so helpful. My wifey and I are trying to find info about this journey. We are gonna depart from Athens to Sarande or Gjirokaster and there is not much info, but this post is gold.
Thanks!
Thank you I leave in a couple of days to Athens and then will be making my way to Albania 💖🥰
Thank you very much for this! Cheers during COVID-19!
I would like to travel from þathens to Saranda this year .Is it possible to do it and how please?
Update as of 14 January 2022. Maska only has one route for Sarande at 8pm for 35£
Hi Anita,
Thanks for the information really useful! I’m looking to get from Sarande to Zakynthos any idea what is the best way to get there? Can the bus which runs from Sarande to Athens be used to stop elsewhere?
Hi!
Have you seen any pets on that bus Athens-Saranda? Or do you know if they accept small pets in travel bag with pet passport?
Update August 2022
Maska’s Athens office no longer exists. We had to go to buy tickets at a travel office called “18” (not shown on Google Maps), which is located down the street: Theodore Diligiannis number 18. There is currently only one bus leaving at 19:30, you have to arrive in advance and it is advisable to buy the ticket in person beforehand, and it is priced at 40€. It is not a 100% direct bus to Sarandë. It took us to a service station further away from Gjirokaster, where 6 of us got off and got into the family car of a man who was waiting there. All in all, we arrived in Sarandë around 4 am. The driver dropped us off at the bus/taxi station. Pretty crazy way to enter to Albania.
Hello Anita. Thank you for your sharing! Is there anyway we can book the bus from Sarande to Athen in advance? We will be in Sarande only 2 days then move on to Athen to catch our flight.
Hi Anita. We need to leave from Saranda to Athens for a flight back to Aus in mid August. Is this information still current to enable us to get a bus from Saranda to Athens for 2023? Thanks Dee
Hi Hendrika
Could you tell me where the Saranda to Athens Bus departs in Atens please.
great site
Lorraine (new sub)
Hi Lorraine! The bus now departs here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BGx3XU1rmk3JqJHq9
Hi Lorraine, thank you for your comprehensive guide on catching the bus between Athens and Sarandë. I would just like to advise you that the location on where the bus leaves in your guide is incorrect, the bus leaves from this location:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/BGx3XU1rmk3JqJHq9
Thank you!
Thanks for the info. It is so helpful.